Hurt and Heard Board The River Why

William Hurt and Amber Heard have joined Zach Gilford in The River Why, an adaptation of the 1983 Sierra Club novel by David James Duncan. Matt Leutwyler is directing.

The Hollywood Reporter says the coming-of-age tale centers on a young man named Gus Orviston (Gilford) and his quest for an elusive rainbow trout, which is a metaphor for the man’s internal search for self-knowledge.

Hurt is Gus’ father, while Heard is his love interest, a tomboy fly-fisher.

Thomas A. Cohen and John Hay Osborn Jr. wrote the adaptation. Kristi Denton Cohen is producing. Filming begins in early July in Oregon.